California

Los Angeles received an improved outlook to positive from stable and affirmation of its ratings from Standard & Poor's ahead of plans to issue $81 million in lease revenue bonds on Sept. 10.

Opponents of California's $68 billion high-speed rail plan filed a petition to review a recent ruling that allows the $8.7 billion bond issuance for the project.

Los Angeles County hopes to re-launch its Property Assessed Clean Energy residential program by early 2015.

The 6.0-magnitude earthquake that struck California's Napa Valley Aug. 24 will not impact any municipal credits that Moody's Investors Service rates.

KeyBanc Capital Markets has hired Zachary Kau to work as a managing director in the San Francisco office heading its healthcare finance business in the Public Finance Group.

Unrated Irvine, Calif., dirt bonds were oversubscribed by five to eight times when they priced in early August amid overall yield compression.

Mark Kaufman, known for his work in the Harrisburg restructuring, has relocated from McKenna Long & Aldridge's Atlanta office to San Francisco, where he will lead the firm's municipal restructuring practice.

While Napa Valley's water and sewer utilities took a hit from the recent earthquake that struck the area, damages are management and do not have any immediate impact on credit ratings, according to Standard & Poor's.

Los Angeles Unified School District officials issued a statement Tuesday saying the district still plans to put an electronic tablet in the hands of every student after scrapping its original contract for iPads and software after questions were raised about the procurement.

The Port of Los Angeles, an infrequent issuer, plans to price a $339 million combined new money-refunding with AMT and non-AMT the week of Sept. 1.

The Kroll Bond Ratings Agency assigned its AA rating to Los Angeles' general obligation bonds Tuesday, its first rating of the city.

A push from California Republicans to reverse a proposal to cap budget reserves among school districts failed to gain the necessary support in the legislature last week.

A recent decision by the California Public Employees' Retirement System to approve new pension calculations will increase the costs of pension obligations among public employers, according to Fitch Ratings.

Audits conducted by the state controller's office found that a California prison and psychiatric hospital have engaged in improper payroll practices, resulting in the overpayment of many state employees.

A bill to put a $4.3 billion school facilities bond on the November ballot died in the California Senate in the face of opposition from Gov. Jerry Brown

Former Congressman Mel Levine reappointed to board that sets policy for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti strenthened his efforts to make the city more transparent with the appointment of a chief data officer.

Moody's Investors Service on Tuesday withdrew its general obligation bond rating on Tehachapi Valley Healthcare District, Calif. citing a lack of financial information for fiscal 2013, affecting $63 million in debt.

California's new law to require issuers to disclose bank loans will likely result in lower borrowing costs, according to a report from Municipal Market Advisors.

San Bernardino has reached a tentative agreement with its police union just two months after it struck an agreement with the California Public Employee's Retirement System.